


Hold Onto It All

by rookiesquirrel



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: US Women's Soccer National Team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-31
Updated: 2015-08-31
Packaged: 2018-04-18 07:24:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4697312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rookiesquirrel/pseuds/rookiesquirrel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In 2008 they were the New Kids and they started a ritual. In 2012 they were older and were no longer new, but they were still referred to as the New Kids. In 2014 new New Kids join, but everyone still calls them the New Kids. The year is 2015 and the world knows about their ritual, however, this is the last time that they will be doing it as a trio.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hold Onto It All

* * *

  _“One day, all of you are going to be gone. And all of this, all of us will be nothing but a hazy memory. It will take you a second to remember everyone’s name. Someone will have to remind you of the songs we sung, the solos you got or didn’t get. Life only really has one beginning and one end, and the rest is just a whole lot of middle.”_

* * *

 In 2008, they were the New Kids. They were young. They were only just starting their career. Jump to 2012, they were still referred to as the New Kids. This time though they were older. They were not starting their career. Two years later and there are new New Kids. Yet, no one referred to them as the New Kids and kept calling them the New Kids.

Now, 2015, their era is over. No more will they be a trio New Kids. There will only be two of them once the victory tour ends. They won two Olympic gold medals, one silver World Cup, and finally they won the World Cup. Now they will no longer be winning together as a trio, but only a duo.

When the last victory tour does come, they are all in tears. The stadium is in silence too as they watch them. They hug each other and refuse to let go, but know that they can’t hug all day because they have a game to win.

They grab onto each other’s hands and hold on tightly. They were about to do their ritual for the last time together and it’s slowly breaking their hearts at the thought of last.

One. The fans watch. Two. Both teams stop what they are doing and watch. Three. The world watches and holds their breath.

They jump, three going over the line.

“And ladies and gentlemen that was the last time all three of the New Kids jump onto the pitch.”

* * *

_“Beginnings are usually scary and endings are usually sad, but it’s everything in between that makes it all worth living.”_

* * *

In 2008, they were the New Kids. In 2012, they were still called the New Kids. In 2014, new New Kids joined, but no one dared to call them that. In 2015, the New Kids became a duo.

Five years into Lauren’s retirement and there are hearts dropping to the bottom of everyone’s chest again. In celebration of not only winning the Olympics, but also the celebration of many players, they go on a somewhat victory tour.

This time it is just the two of them. They are in tears once again. They look towards the stands, spotting her. They smile with tears in their eyes as she smiles back. The two then turn towards each other and hang onto one another.

The stadium watches in silence yet again. The teams watch on and pause their warm ups. The world watches with sadness in the pit of their stomachs.

They grasp one another’s hands. One grasping the air in their right hand for their friend in the stands. After this jump there will only be one to jump the pitch. Only one New Kid left for the team. Just the thought of it breaks the world’s heart.

One. Time slows down for everyone. Two. Tears are seen streaming down their faces as well as the one in the stands. Three. The world watches with sadness in their eyes.

They jump, two going over the line.

“And that is Amy Rodriguez’s last pitch jump with her fellow New Kid, a tradition that the New Kids started when all three of them were on the team.”

* * *

  _“Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you, until we meet again.”_

* * *

In 2008, the New Kids became a thing. In 2012, the world kept calling them the New Kids. In 2014, even with the making of the new New Kids, the world kept calling them the New Kids. In 2015, the New Kids became a duo. In 2020, the New Kids turned into a New Kid.

Twelve years into the retirement of Lauren, seven years into Amy’s retirement, and their hearts will drop once more. This time the victory tour will be for their World Cup win.

Everything is different about this victory tour though. Things have been different since 2015. Along the way to their fifth World Cup win, there has been retirement through the years. No more Christie or Abby. No more Hope or Carli or majority of team. Most of them are new with barely any of the old team.

Everyone knows that this victory tour will be the saddest. After this there will be no more ritual pitch jump unless someone else starts it again, but even if they do it will never be the same. After this there will be no more New Kids.

So when the last victory tour does come around, the old team from 2015 are invited to watch the end of it all. They all come with their families and watch.

The only New Kid left gives the others a tight hug, tears falling onto their shirts. They cry back and hold her tightly before letting go and gently pushing her towards the line. They stand behind her and watch as she reaches out and holds thin air in her hands.

One. They quickly grab each others hands. Two. They prepare to jump in place with her. Three. The world watches on with tears in their eyes and a heavy heart.

They jump, one going over the line.

“And ladies and gentlemen it is the end of the New Kids with the retirement of the last New Kid, Tobin Heath. Behind her Lauren Holiday and Amy Rodriguez, Tobin Heath’s fellow New Kids, jumped in place as she jumped over the line for the last time.”

* * *

  _It may be over for now  
__But I am sure  
__I'll see you again  
__One day my friend  
__When lights fade away  
__The memory remains_

 _Time may take us, take us far away_  
_Surely time, time can bring us back together_  
_Like an old ~~school~~ team reunion_  
_I'll be standing at the door_  
_And you'll still look the same_


End file.
